Tammi Cardigan in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK - ZB328-00014-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Tammi Cardigan in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK by Lisa Richardson – Pattern Summary

The Tammi Cardigan is a beautifully crafted knitted cardigan designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF (pattern reference ZB328-00014-DEP), this design is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with more complex stitch combinations and shaping techniques. The garment is photographed in Naples Blue 217, showcasing the rich depth of colour achievable with the recommended yarn.

What Is Being Made

The Tammi Cardigan is a classic knitted cardigan featuring a structured, textured body with cable and rib detailing. It is designed to be worn as a button-front cardigan, fastened with 3 wooden buttons of 2 cm diameter. The pattern is offered in a wide range of sizes to suit a variety of body types, with nine size options covering bust measurements from 71–76 cm up to 152–157 cm, producing knitted bust measurements ranging from approximately 101.5 cm to 182.5 cm. This generous size range makes the Tammi Cardigan an inclusive and versatile pattern suitable for many different figures.

Yarn and Materials

The recommended yarn is Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, a luxuriously soft double knitting weight yarn sold in 50 g balls. The quantity required ranges from 10 to 20 balls depending on the chosen size. The yarn's alpaca content gives the finished cardigan a beautifully soft handle and a subtle halo, making it ideal for a garment with textured stitch patterns. The sample shown in the pattern is knitted in Naples Blue 217.

Needles and Notions

• 3.25 mm (UK 10 / US 3) knitting needles – used for ribbing and border sections
• 4 mm (UK 8 / US 6) knitting needles – used for the main body sections
• Optional: 3.25 mm and 4 mm circular needles, at least 100 cm long, for working larger sections in the round or flat across many stitches
• A cable needle for working the cable stitch patterns
• 3 wooden buttons, 2 cm in diameter, for the button band fastening

Techniques Used

The Tammi Cardigan employs a range of knitting techniques that place it firmly in the intermediate skill category. Knitters will need to be comfortable with both knit and purl stitches worked in combination to create ribbing and textured panels, as well as with reading and following a multi-row stitch chart. The pattern involves careful stitch placement that varies across the nine sizes, requiring attention to the written row-by-row instructions which include size-specific stitch counts throughout.

Cable knitting is a central feature of this design. The pattern makes use of both front cables (Z4V) and back cables (Z4H) – four-stitch cables crossed to the front or back respectively – which create the classic twisted rope effect characteristic of traditional cable knitwear. These cables are worked at regular intervals across the body of the cardigan, interspersed with panels of knit and purl stitches that form the background texture and help the cables stand out in relief.

The stitch pattern is worked over a 14-stitch cable repeat combined with 2-stitch and 4-stitch rib sections, creating a rhythmic and satisfying pattern once established. Rows 1 through 4 form the basis of the pattern repeat, with specific instructions given for each size to ensure the pattern aligns correctly at the beginning and end of every row regardless of the size being knitted.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (M re / Maschen rechts) – the fundamental knitting stitch, used throughout the main fabric and cable panels
• Purl stitch (M li / Maschen links) – used to create the reverse stocking stitch background that frames the cables and adds texture
• 4-stitch front cable (Z4V) – a cable crossing worked to the front, creating